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Spec Dinosauria: Ungulapedia
INTRODUCTION No group of dinosaurs best expresses the innovation yet familiarity of Spec’s fauna as ungulipedes. Clearly hadrosaurian in nature, the origins of these dinosaurs extend as far back as the Cretaceous. With over an estimated 150 species, these are one of the most successful groups of dinosaurs in the world of Spec. HISTORY The ancestry of the ungulapedes was believed to be traceable back to Anserodromeus antiquus, a small, crested, basal hadrosauroid from Paleocene-Early Eocene Africa. Africa, alone amongst the Gondwanan landmasses, seems to have kept its duckbills after the Cretaceous-Paleogene Extinction Event. Despite a setback in the Late Eocene, the descendants of Anserodromeus antiquus flourished and diversified. On a related note, more in-depth research has been revealed that the ungulapedes ancestry can be traced back to a few species of basal hadrosaur that roamed Europe during the final years of the Cretaceous period, most noticeably with Tethyshadros insularis, a small species of hadrosaur from Italy and Telmatosaurus transsylvanicus, a small species of basal hadrosaur that lived on Hațeg Island (the Cretaceous equivalent of the Galapagos Islands) during the final days of the Cretaceous period. However, Anserodromeus antiquus is still considered to be a basal ungulapede due to some noticeable features it has to modern day species of ungulapede. Africa, like the other two main Gondwanan landmasses, South America and Australia, seems to have kept its duckbills after the K-Pg boundary. Despite a setback in the Late Eocene, when the climatic chaos ended several endemic herbivores, the relatives of (Anserodromeus) seemingly flourished and diversified, most of the few african Oligocene fossils being quite morphologically disparate ungulipedes. While many forms became bulky giants, echoing the great herds of the Late Cretaceous, one lineage became small, agile miombo runners, gaining their distinctive hand-hoof during the late Oligocene. With the gradual drying of the African continent as the Neogene progressed, the larger, more conservative hadrosauroids went into decline—to the boon of the early ungulipedians, which soon spread into the vacated niches. While many forms became bulky giants, echoing the great herds of the Late Cretaceous, one lineage became agile woodland runners, gaining their distinctive hand-hoof during the Oligocene. With the gradual drying of the African continent as the Neogene progressed, the larger, more conservative hadrosaurs went into decline to the boon of the early ungulapedes, which soon spread into the vacated niches. The Pliocene was a time of spectacular evolutionary innovation for the ungulapedes with the Afrohadrosauridae becoming the most numerous and diverse herbivores on the continent. When the long isolation of the African continent ended in the Miocene, great herds of ungulapeds marched across the Sinai into Eurasia. Indeed, these hadrosaurs seem to have driven the large eurolophians to extinction, and may have also helped to drive several other clades of ornithischians and herbivorous theropods extinct. Several north american invasions seem to have occured, some as recently as the last glaciations, though currently only a few species reside in the nearctic region. BIOLOGY Ungulapedes are most easily recognized by their forefeet. Digits 2 and 3 have become fused and the combined unguals protrude from the flesh to form a single large hoof. Digit 4 is reduced and completely internalized however, the 5th digit remains free in all forms except the elumbe and often bears a large claw. The most remarkable aspect of these hadrosaurs is not to be found in their feet, however, but involves their reproductive habits. With the exception of the archaic paleungulapodes, the majority of the Ungulapedia has largely or totally abandoned nesting altogether and carries their incubating offspring with them. Most female ungulapedes possess a large, highly elastic gular pouch that can be partially sealed off from the rest of the mouth via muscular contractions. These broodpouches are used for egg-storage and are both highly padded with rubbery tissue both for insulation and to prevent damage to the egg. The mother ungulapede lays one or two eggs that vary from between 15 to 45 cm in length. Once deposited on the ground, the egg is taken into her mouth and gently manoeuvered into the broodpouch. Most species lay either single eggs or produce two but discard or consume one of them. These forms have a simple, single-chambered broodpouch. Some ealines, however will lay and nurture two eggs, their broodpouch having evolved a bifurcated, two-pocketed configuration (bearing a passing resemblance to a mammalian scrotum) allowing them to safely transport both eggs. With her broodpouch fully laden, the mother is still capable of eating and drinking albeit in a somewhat slow and awkward manner. Sometimes she will remove the egg from her broodpouch and place it on the ground or a brief period while she gorges. Incubation usually takes between 1 and 4 months depending on the species and local conditions. Upon sensing that hatching is imminent, the mother coughs up the egg and deposits on the ground, sometimes assisting the youngster by breaking the shell herself. Once it finds its feet, the large hatchling is fully capable of fending for itself although the majority of ungulapede mothers (and some ealine fathers) provides additional protection to their offspring after hatching. The young of highly gregarious species leave their mother's side in a few days or weeks to form juvenile cr?hes, which either head off on their own or stay to enjoy the protection of the entire herd. Those of less gregarious forms tend to stay with their parents for longer periods. Regardless of parental care , the young feed ravenously and can put on as much as 40 kg in their first month. Most reach sexual maturity in between 2-4 years. This unique breeding strategy confers many advantages. For most dinosaurs, the nesting period is a dangerous time for both adults and offspring as their mobility is severely restricted. There is the ever-present danger of predators, egg-thieves and natural disasters befalling the nest site. By dispensing with the nest, the ungulapedes have left behind many of these problems at the expense of reduced clutch size. A female with a full broodpouch can still feed, drink, evade predators, tend to her previous generation of offspring or even mate and thus get the next egg ready once the one in the throat hatches. These benefits become even more vital on the great plains of Africa and Asia where the ungulapedes thrive. Here, vast herds must wander great distances as they follow highly seasonal and irregular food supplies. With this sort of lifestyle, having to spend several months tied down to a static nesting site would be a severe handicap. The development of this brood-pouch is probably responsible for the ungulapeds' tremendous sucsess in Africa and Eurasia where they are they are by far the dominant clade of small herbivores. Indeed, only their intolerance to cold, it seems, has prevented the ungulapeds from spanning the globe. On a recent expedition back to Spec, it was discovered that at least one species has made its way to North America. Five main clades of ungulapedia are currently recognised: * Paleoungulapodidae * Afrohadrosauridae * Ciraphdadridae * Ultracornidae * Formosicornidae Interestingly enough, despite having average levels of intelligence, the same case can be applied to their neohadrosaur relatives, ungulapeds have been known to display more complex social behaviors. One of the most noticeable examples being was when during a documented expedition back to Africa, a bull male hornmesiter was observed headbutting a Red Molok during an unsuccessful hunt on a hornmesiter herd. PALEOUNGULAPODOIDAE (Blowhards and oopas) Generally small and completely restricted to southern and central Africa, the paleoungulapods (confusingly it's "pods" not "pedes") are the most primitive extant members of Ungulapedia. Cape Blowhard (Erythronasua srnkai) The cape blowhard is a primtive ungulapede that lives in open dry plains of Southern Africa. It feeds on many plant species, eating grass, fruit, tubers and leaves. It is generally solitary, declaring its territory with its distinctive honking call and a comical-looking nasal balloon. Cape blowhard, Erythronasua srnkai ''(southern Africa) Oopa (''Cranitus cristatus) Spec's Congo harbor a number of oddities, relic species from a time when Africa was a lush continent, covered with jungles of which the present greenery is merely a fragment. One of these relics is the primitive oopa, a paleoungulapod most closely related to the blowhards of Africa's southern coast. Like their smaller cousins, oopas lack horns, sporting enlarged brow ridges and a laterally flattened nasal crest in their stead. These timid herbivores are solitary in their habits, although young calves with trail behind their mother for up to a year before heading off on their own. Males, larger than females and more brightly-colored, can be quite ill-tempered and deliver vicious kicks with their front hooves to any creature stupid or unlucky enough provoke them. Oopa, Cranitus cristatus ''(central Africa) AFROHADROSAURIDAE (Saurolopes, Endbeests, Lanceheads, and Bowhorns) The saurolope body-type. Note the hooved front feet, long snout, and six squamosal horns. Some 48 described species are known, with an estimated 40 total of species altogether. The saurolopes represent the most successful of the dinosaur herbivores of the Old World Tropics. They range from delicate dorcasaurs to gigantic hornmeisters, elumbes and brutons. These critters represent the vast bulk of Ungulipedia and hereafter, will be referred to by their common clade nomer, the saurolopes. Afrohadrosaurids have had explosive radiations time and again since the early Miocene. They first disembarked from Africa into Eurasia around 20 million years ago, rapidly traversing much of the Eurasia continent. Many varied tribes waxed and waned over the next few million years. The diversity and number of saurolope species was much greater than at the present day. Fossils have been recovered north of the Arctic circle as recently as the early Pleistocene, and skulls from southernmost Nevada suggests a late Miocene north american range. The Pleistocene glaciars have since weeded out most of their diversity from temperate Laurasia, but several formosicorns still wander the forests and steppes of Eurasia and North America. They are overwhelmingly creatures of open landscapes. They may be found in miombo woodlands and the driest deserts to grassy highlands. These animals engage in never ending migrations within and without geographical regions in search of food and suitable chick rearing sites. Most species make seasonal migrations of up to 100 miles round trip every year. Some many times that. The duckbucks include the true saurolopes, the lanceheads, whifflebooms and bowhorns. Unlike the other clades, they are monogamous instead of polyandrous. The creatures may be solitary outside of the mating season or form life-long pair bonds (with triads of a female with two males being very common). Most species tend to form small herds in more forested areas, especially close to water in the form of marshes, lakes and rivers. They are more selective browsers, though must graze on grasses intermittently. AFROHADROSAURINAE Afrohadrosaurines are generally fairly gracile animals with long square-tipped snouts. Most species have between 2-6 narrow squamosal horns but lack any sort of cranial or nasal ornamentation. All are at least partial grazers, none survive on a completely leafy diet. Wildsbokk (''Afrohadrosaurus stromeri) A recently discovered afrohadrosaur was found roaming Central and Western sub-Saharan Africa in herds consisting in herds of roughly 15-20 members, usually lead by an bull male and growing up to lengths of 9 meters long. Even migrating to across Africa to their breeding grounds. We have named it the Wildsbokk (Afrohadrosaurus stromeri). The reasons beings its gazelle like appearance, despite it having the colors of giraffe back on our Home Earth and its name pays tribute to Ernest Stromer, the German paleontologist who unearthed some of Africa's most dinosaurs like the long extinct Spinosaurus and Carcharodontosaurus. Emblask (Gazellosaurus allocornis) This species was discovered recently as of 2016, growing up to 10 feet long, this species of saurolope was thought to belong in the genus Saurolops, however a more in depth analysis revealed that it was a vastly new genus, we have dubbed it the Emblask, (Gazellosaurus allocornis), due to the antler-like structures, which are made out of keratin, on the top of its head which resemble the deer and antelope back on our home Earth. Dorkk (Antillosaurus agilis) The Dorkk, though more Antillopine than many other saurolopes, is still very much like it's kin in general habit. They are exceedingly common on Spec's african savannah, in numbers similar to the impala of our timeline. The four main horn arrangements in saurolopes: * Two-horned saurolope (Saurolopus dicornis) (upper left) * Six-horned saurolope (Saurolopus sexicornis) (upper right) * Down-branching aka the Common saurolope (Saurolopus communis) (lower left) * Up-branching aka the Regal saurolope (Saurolopus regalis) (lower right) Of these 1 is believed to form a group distinct from the others, while 2, 3 and 4 are believed to share a common four-horned ancestor. 2 seems to have split off first, while 3 and 4 split off later producing various branching structures in their horns. 3 generally has only two pairs of horns, but some taxa retain vestigial second horn pair, while 4 commonly has two well-developed horn pairs. In groups 1 and 2 there is rarely any horn branching, with the exception of some flat-horned taxa within 1. Common Saurolope (Saurolopus communis) As their name implies, these are the most common species of Saurolope native to Africa, traveling in herds of up to 30 to 50 members. More information will be added in the future. Regal Saurolope (Saurolopus regalis) Unlike most species of Saurolope, these prefer to live in forested areas as opposed to the open plains. However, they have been known to travel to that area. More information will be added in the future. Two-Horned Saurolope (Saurolopus dicornis) Just like the six-horned saurolope, the two horned saurolope is a creature known to live in the savannah and scrub based habitats of Africa; never to far from any source of fresh water. Growing up to lengths of 6 meters long, herds consist of usually up to 20 to 25 individuals lead by a ruling bull and cow with young males forming their own separate herds in similar sizes. Six-Horned Saurolope (Saurolopus sexicornis) The six-horned saurolope is a creature of scrub and savannah; rarely far from water although it is not closely associated with it. It lives in herds of up to 30 individuals led by an elderly bull with young males forming separate herds of the same size. They feed on grasses and other vegetation. The six-horned saurolope is not the only member of the saurolopes roaming the plains of Africa. Six-horned saurolope, Saurolopus sexicornis ''(sub-Saharan Africa) Sahib Saurolope (''Saurolopus sahibensis) Growing up to 25 feet long, has a bizarre display of upward curving horns on the top of its head and it displays some similar behaviors to the ceratopsians who roamed North America in the past, the name has been coined as the sahib saurolope (Saurolopus sahibensis).'' It is one of the largest saurolopes known from Africa. These animals congregate in large herds that take part in the great African herbivore migrations. Some individuals believe that this could actually be a member of the ''Oryxosaurus genus. More research on this species shall be conducted in the future. Green Lancehead (Oryxosaurus chloris) 5 species of Oryxosaurus can be found throughout Africa. The green lancehead is found across the eastern savannas, corresponding to our world's Eritrea-to-northern-Angola. It lives in herds of 10-50 individuals, often associating with sauropods or other saurolope species, and feeds on grass and leaves. Green lanceheads can go for long periods without water. Green lancehead, Oryxosaurus chloris ''(Eastern sub-Saharan Africa) Dappled Lancehead (''Oryxosaurus makgadikigadius) The five or so closely related species of the lancehead are found from roughly Kenya south into all the open but fairly well watered country of Africa. Huge concentrations of Dappled Lanceheads are found within the Okavango basin region. The east African Lakes host at least two species and several variants of lanceheads. Blazeback Lancehead (Oryxosaurus ornatus) The Blazeback Lancehead (Oryxosaurus ornatus), is a common, medium sized oryxosaur saurolope of the African savanna. It is a grazer, much akin to the zebra in niche. Herds are usually lead by a monarchic male and female Blazeback. Bowhorn (Quadricornis magnificus) The only member of its genus, the bowhorn is a rather odd saurolope, allied with the lanceheads (genus Oryxosaurus), but distinguished by its branching squamosal horns (as in the megacornid hornmeister). Along with this ornamentation, bowheads also sport a pair of smaller, triangular horns in the region of the cheeks. Unlike most other saurolopes, bowhorns are solitary creatures, mostly preferring to browse near rivers and forest margins by themselves or in small groups. During the mating season, however, just before the rains fall, large groups of bowhorns may gather together, males displaying their fantastic branching horns and brilliant orange and blue facial markings. Bowhorn, Quadricornis magnificus ''(Eastern sub-Saharan Africa) Thornderk ''(Megavacca spinifer) The second discovered afrohadrosaur is known as the the thornderk. Thornderk (Megavacca spinifer) are a 2 tonne browser/gazer saurolope often seen in arid habitats. BESTIANASINI (Eendbeests) Wide ranging, members of this clade can be found across the entire of open Africa. Some species even range up into the highlands of the Atlas and Drakensberg mountains, while some have invaded Eurasia. They are all dedicated migrants, never remaining longer than a month in any one area. This is reflected within their offspring, who have the fastest growth rates of any ornithischian dinosaurs known. Eendbeests often follow the great herds of grassbags, lagging several days or so behind them to crop the new grass. They in turn are followed by scores of local jackalopes, other afrohadrosaurids and herbivorous mammals. They are also the focal point for a wide collection of predators and scavengers, ever eager to attend the dying and the dead, walking or not. Eendbeest (Bestianas lesothoensis) First of the saurolopes described, this wide ranging 700 kilo animal is a beauty of the veldts and Drakensburg highlands. They are extremely cold hardy, often seen tolerating freezing temperatures and summer snow when migrating from pasture to pasture, having thicker quill coats than their relatives. The winter season lasts roughly four months and drives them to valley lowlands, where they hatch out this year’s generation of chicks. During this time, the herds split up into small harems of several dominant females and their egg carrying husbands. They gradually make their way back up the montane slopes in spring, reaching the lush, well watered grassy highlands by early summer. The harems collect together in vast herds traveling along well worn paths centuries, if not millennia old. The surviving chicks are usually over 80 kilos in weight by this time and capable of shivering the cold nights and storms away with relative ease. The main advantage besides the fresh grass is the relative lack of predators compared to the lowlands. Few abelisaurs chance the chill and steep lands, especially if chicks are in tow. Draks, errotyrants and metacanids are generally too puny to threaten any but wayward chicks. Kenyan Eendbeest (Bestianas kikuyu) Eendbeests are widespread across open sub-Saharan Africa, with some four species and many regional variants described. The Kenyan Eendbeest can be found in herds hundreds of thousands strong migrating across the eastern African savannahs. These are the smallest of the clade, only 400 kilos adult size. They are the nexus of a vast community of predators and scavengers. Herbivores also depend on the their grazing to expose forbs and tender grass shoots. Steppe Eendbeest (Bestianas tatarica) Occuring in the cold steppes of Central Asia, the Steppe Eendbeest is one of the most common herbivores in the region, forming massive herds. Not limited to nesting sites like panhas and jackalopes and with a more efficient mastication than spelks, the Steppe Eendbeest showcases ungulipede efficiency in a place where they are ironically less speciose, catoblepines nonwithstanding. Subfossil remains show that these animals ranged to Alaska and Yukon during the glaciations, making them the only afrohadrosaurids to have touched north american ground. A few populations still remain on the Arctotitan steppe of the siberian Arctic and Wrangel Island, far removed from their more populous steppe cousins. TONITROBALUSINI (Angarangs) The 3 species of Angarangs differ from the other saurolopes in collecting into vast herds out on the open grasslands proper. They may receive most of their water from morning dews and succulent forbs so may rarely drink except during the dry season. Herds hundreds of thousands strong migrate across the land in search of fresh pastures. They often follow the plains species of eendbeests who in turn have followed the grassbags. The twice cropped prairies expose the forbs and tender shoots the angarangs prefer. Although the herds can be huge, angarang females rarely have more than two or four males as mates at a time. The competition between females and the need for males to remain near their harem mistress is exhausting and limits females choices. However, they breed twice a year, usually collecting different males as mates each time. A successful female may “father” up to 200 chicks in her roughly 15 year breeding lifetime. It is not uncommon for nearly half of those chicks to reach breeding age. Compared to other female ornithischians who may lay dozens of eggs every year but see only a handful survive to breeding age in her entire lifetime, it is not hard to understand why the cloacal brooding strategy has favored female afrohadrosaurids as egg dispersers and males as egg protectors. Swahili Angarang (Tonitrobalus africanaulon notios) The Swahili or Lowlands Angarang is a denizen of the grassy areas of Africa’s Indian Ocean coast. They tend to live in herds of a few hundred to several thousands migrating constantly in search of fresh pasture. They may head inland many dozens of kilometers but most frequently are found less than 20 kilometers from the sea. They may be seen beachcombing for washed up seaweeds on occasion. They are often regarded as a subspecies of the Plains Angarang, though new research strongly indicates they may well constitute a separate line not only as a species, but as a sister species to all other angarangs. Lowlands angarang'' Tonitrobalus fracanaulon notios (sub-Saharan Africa) Plains Angarang (''Tonitrobalus africanaulon) The Plains Angarangs must rank as the most successful of the duckbucks. Several closely related species and regional variants can be found across the warmer open areas of Africa from the Mediterranean south to Cape Horn and into the Levant and India. Herds may exceed a million individuals during the migrations. Along with other saurolopes, jackalopes and many varieties of maniraptors and even some mammals, angarangs form the basic dietary staple for innumerous species of predators and scavengers ranging from crunchercrocs and gorgeese, to errotyrants, rare cheetaurs and moloks. Whiffleboom (Tonitrobalus giganteus) Most angarangs average between 500 to 1,200 kilos in weight. Female Whifflebooms may reach over 2,500 kilos. These gigantic duckbucks are found primarily in the Sahel from the Atlantic east to the Indian ocean. They browse more frequently than other duckbucks, though take grasses during the wetter seasons. Comparison of the plains angarang (Tonitrobalus africanaulon) and the whiffleboom (Tonitrobalus giganteus) DORCASAURINI The bataswaras or “duck gazelles”, are the smallest of the Afrohadrosaurinae. They typically average between 2 to 4 meters and 80 to 300 kilos. They easily number some 20 species between three genera. Bataswaras tend to be denizens of the open plains although some species are known from miombo and even xeric Saharan montane woodlands. Bataswaras are the most gracile of the afrohadrosaurines, capable of reaching speeds of between 60 to 110 kilometers per hour. Related siblings tend to form herds of roughly 4 to 20 individuals and monopolize a female or two during the breeding season. The chicks are equally shared throughout the group. Unlike other saurolopes the “husband guarding” of the larger female is not as effective, since the males often are quite concentrated on each other for the right to mate. They also aren’t as capable of detecting through scent whether a female has recently mated or not. Cuckoldry is much more common in this clade than among other saurolopes, with females sneaking off into the bush with wandering males unrelated to the kidnapping herd of males. These trysts are usually late at night or during crepuscular hours. The majority of other saurolope clades have much better olfactory and visual capabilities in this regard and cuckolded males will promptly eject the eggs and crush them in “spite”. That has resulted in fairly faithful polyandrous “monogamy” among other saurolopes. Nevertheless, the sibling male harems usually ensure at least 70% of all eggs throat brooded are genetically theirs. There is a good reason for the continuance of “cheater” males, they overwhelmingly are low status males from nearby harems trying their luck elsewhere. Bataswaras prefer tender grasses and forbs overlooked by their much larger relatives. They also specialize in more toxic forage than jackalopes and glucks are willing to sample. This combination of dietary habits has allowed them to expand into smaller size and more densely wooded areas. They actually seem to have displaced some of the nascent larger African jackalopes present during the Pliocene. These dinosaurs are a favorite prey base for cheetaurs, smaller errotyrants and draks. Juveniles are frequently ambushed by metacanids and weaselcrocs. Azhdarchid pterosaurs have been seen plummeting down into a congregation of adults with their chicks to snatch a baby away. Nevertheless, predation among chicks is not as bad as starvation and simple accidental death, both of which contribute to most of first year chick mortality. By comparison, predation makes up a puny 20% of chicks dying. Should they survive their first year, most bataswaras can expect to live an average of 12 years. Cape Doracasaur (Doracasaurus racilis) The doracasaurs are the fastest and smallest of the saurolopes. They seldom exceed 2.5 meters in length, and are known to attain speeds acomparable to those of springbok and American pronghorn antelopes. Doracasaurs are mixed browser-grazers, and are notoriously skittish, and outrun all but the fastest abelisaurian predators. Guelta Doracasaur (Dorcasaurus pansaharansis) The Guelta Bataswara seems to have originally been limited to xeric montane woodlands in the western Sahara. However, the wet period lasting from 10,000 to 4,000 years ago allowed an explosive advance across the entire of North Africa, even into the Levant and Arabia (where it is the only dorcasaur present). Loose herds numbering up to 500 paternally related individuals may roam over vast home ranges centered around permanent “gueltas” in the form of rivers, lakes or spring fed oasis. Savannah Doracasaur (Dorcasaurus vulgaris) Abundant throughout the east African savannahs, this bataswara has close relatives in the Sahel and the open grasslands south of the Congo and Rift valley. They form huge herds of up to several hundred thousands during harsh droughts. These herds migrate to fresher pastures, following the seasonally migrating eendbeests and grassbags. Occasionally, they have to cross rivers; where they become prey to crocodilians and terrestrial predators encouraged by the confusion. Kalahari Doracasaur (Sothodorcasaurus kalahariensis) The Kalahari Bataswara is well adapted to the infrequent rainfall and harsh seasons of this land, herds hundreds, thousands strong roam in never ending migrations for pasture. They tend to have a more varied diet than other bataswaras, often browsing from scrub and desert adapted cycads, manglar shrubs and palms among other plants. African Bristlehorn (Xenocornis major) The African bristlehorn, largest of all saurolopes, rivals the great hormeister and elumbe in size, and is quite dangerous. These large -bodied marshdwellers are generally solitary, shunning their own kind out of breeding season. They are sometimes seen browsing alongside herds of mokele for protection. Asian Bristlehorn (Xenocornis pseudosivatherias) The Asian Bristlehorn was long an enigma among the afrohadrosaurids. It was first believed to be a formosicornine, something in part aided by its Indian location and robust bulk. However, it has shocked everyone by proving to be a dorcasaur. This semi-aquatic bataswara isn't just the largest of the dorcasaurs, it is the largest afrohadrosaurid period, competing in size with the Hornmeister. Adult females can reach a staggering 11 tons, even larger than their African cousins . The Asian Bristlehorn is further shocking by nesting firmly within the mainly African based dorcasaurs, related to both Dorcasaurus and Sothodorcasaurus. Whatever their clade placement, these gigantic herbivores can be found in tall grass marshes across much of the Indian sub-continent west into China, all the way into the Yangtze estuary. Their greatest concentrations are to be had around the Himalayan foothills. The perfect combination of abundant rainfall, well drained floodplains and intense dry season fires creates the most magnificent tall grass prairies Earth has ever known in either timeline. It is still a mystery as to why this dorcasaur developed the path it did. No fossils are known, and the bataswara fossil record as a whole is rather spotty, with a few remains known as far back as the late Miocene. Female Bristlehorns pursue male mates for weeks at a time. The receptive male releases pheromones signaling his readiness to incubate eggs. The male will trot for many days at a time, this ensures that the female he mates with doesn't sneak any fertilized eggs from other males as well as prove her fitness to defend him within the territory if he calls on her. CIRAPHADRIDAE (Cirafs) Not as widespread or specious as the related afrohadrosaurids, the ciraphadrids are somewhat more diverse. Occupying both moose-like, swamp-dwelling forms, as well as deep-forest browsers and the familiar high browser of the savannah, the evolutionary success of the ciraphadrids is indisputable. Miocene fossils demonstrates this clade was once far more widespread than today. These oddly hornless afrohadrosaurids - a somewhat disappointing feature, considering Ultracorninae’s most spectacular members, exist or alive - could be found in significant numbers across Africa and much of Europe until the Pliocene. Today, they are limited to just seven species with hugely disparate ranges. All ciraphines engage in more browsing behavior than any other afrohadrosaurids. Grasses tend to make up a very marginal part of their diet, usually just for nutritional deficiencies. Ciraphines also are pair bonders, they never congregate in herds of unrelated individuals as a general rule except during seasons of harsh stress. As seen in the picture above, Ceratociraphus pervulgatus is an Pliocene ungulapede browser whose remains have been found in northern Africa, the middle east and India. Originally it was tentatively classified as an offshoot of Formosicornidae, but a more detailed analysis has revealed this animal to be a ciraphadrid. The unusual horn arrangements of Ceratociraphus may give an insight to how the horns of their formosicornid (and ultracornid) relatives may have evolved, although those of Ceratociraphus were blunt and massive, probably used in pusing or butting contests beteween males. Chotcho (Tussisaurus timmledorfi) This creature, recenly discovered in Africa's Congo Basin, bears a close resemblance to the probable generalized browsing ancestor of Ciraphidae. Its name is the chotcho (Tussisaurus timmledorfi). ''It is the smallest member of Ciraphadridae and was originally mistaken for a paleoungulapod because of its size and lack of proper evidence, save for occasional brief sightings, only found in the deep Congolese rainforest. The holotype specimen however proved beyond any doubt that the animal was an unusual ciraphadrid. Chotchos are often found near waterways and may use water to escape from predators. They are named after the loud coughing sounds that they make when frightened or otherwise agitated. Chotchos have small horn-covered bumps similar to those of the ciraf, which may hint of a close relation. Ciraf (''Ciraphadrus longicervix) The ciraf, African high-browser of the smallest type, is often dwarfed by the titanosaur giants with which it lives. In the Africa of our home timeline, however, this 7.5 m long ungulaped would be one of the largest animals of the savanna. These animals tend to live in extended families of a mated pair and their offspring of varying years. Indian Ciraf (Ciraphadrus longicervix rudyardkiplingi) Also known as the Kipling's Ciraf, this subspecies of the Ciraf is a spectacular 4 ton, 7 meter afrohadrosaurid found across the open woodlands of south east Asia. They are high browsers that seek out the 3 to 4 meter browse normally avoided by both undaurs and gihugrongos deep in wood stands and off the beaten path of hoser highways. These animals tend to live in extended families of a mated pair and their offspring of varying years. Congo Ciraf (Miombociraphihadrus paraokapia) Despite its common nomer, the Congo Ciraf is actually a denizen of the rich miombo woodlands surrounding the Congo rainforest. Although it is rarely sighted, spoor and freshly killed carcasses shows this 2 ton animal is very common. They are frequently taken by large abelisauroids roaming the woodlands. One would wonder how such a high rate of predatory attrition would be offset. This riddle was solved when it was discovered that males and females carry up to four eggs within their clocal brooding sacs. Cyprus Ciraf (Nicosiaciraphadrus nanus) Aside from formosicornines few afrohadrosaurids are known in the European realm. The rare Cyprus Ciraf is one of them. This tiny 150 kilo animal is a browser of the montane forests and scrublands. These red and white striped critters are surprisingly unstudied. Their scrubby montane home doesn’t lend themselves to easy observation. It is believed that they arrived sometimes during the Miocene, when the Mediterranean dried into a salt desert, the ancestral ciraf shrunk down to the relatively tiny dinosaur of today. Greenbeestle (Chlorotherium cornuta) The highest browsing forest saurolope is the Greenbeeste, a dense forest cousin of the ciraphs, endemic to the otherwise undaur dominated asian rainforests. With black and green mottlings all over it’s body, it moves gracefully through the forest periphery, almost imperceptable against the green curtans around it, suberbely camouflaged as it is. Okapp (Cryptociraphadrus ornatus) Also known as the Buluebeeste, this might the rarest of the Ciraf's known to the world of Spec. It has only been seen a few times, which have lead several people to doubt the existence of the enigmatic creature. The it is patterned with a very cryptic colour pattern, and is hard to find in the jungle just like the okapi itself. ULTRACORNIDAE (Hornmeisters) This monotypic family contains the giant browsing hornmeister, the only ungulapede to combine a unicorn-spike and four squamosal horns. Fossil ultracornids both larger and smaller than the extant species are known from Mio-Pleistocene Africa and Eurasia. Phylogenetically, the hornmeister falls midway between the Afrohadrosauridae and the formosicorns, and seems to represent an early sidebranch on the evolutionary line to Formosicorna. Hornmeisters (Ultracornis benseni) The largest African ornithischian, this 10-meter animal is still dwarfed by the giant grassbags with which it often associates. A creature of savanna and and open forests throughout eastern and southern Africa, the hornmeister lives in large herds, usually of around 30-50 individuals but occasionally up to 200. Old males tend to be solitary. It feeds on leaves and tender branches and sometimes digging for tubers. FORMOSICORNIDAE (Elumbes, orths, catoblepines, and ealines) Formosicornidae is a largely Eurasian a ungulapede radiation somewhat related to Ultracornidae. The taxonomy of the formosicorns has been a nightmare of duplicity and classificatory juggling with different species grouped in the families, Cornucantinae, Ultracorninae (in part), Afrohadrosauridae (in part), Catoblepidae, Pentacorninae and Ealinae. At one point, the formicornids were even given their own sub-class, Formosicornia, ridiculous as that may sound. Recent DNA-hybridization data and exhaustive anatomical and palaeontological studies have shown strong support for the monophyly of these seemingly disparate forms in a single family-level clade, Formosicornidae. Formosicorns differ from the African ungulapeds in having larger nasal cavities, the presence of circumnarial depressions and a maximum of 2 squamosal horns. They and the African hornmeister share a distinctive "unicorn horn", a spikey protruberance on the forehead whose horny base is formed by a fusion of the frontals (and sometimes the nasals) into a rugose lump. Formosicorns generally exhibit a lesser degree of sexual dimorphism than the other large ungulapeds, with both sexes often sporting spectacular horns. With the exception of some catoblepids, the formosicorns do not form herds of the same as magnitude as the African saurolopes. Formosicorns originated in Africa from basal "proafrohadrosaur" stock in the Early Miocene. While their afrohadrosaurid cousins became grazers, the early formosicorns stayed fairly generalised and were amongst the first species "off the boat" when the link with Asia was formed. They proved to be the most adaptable of the invading ungulapeds and soon diverged into dozens of species. With the exception of the bulky grazing cornucantids, most of these were lightly built browsers living in the shadow or the now extinct giant afrohadrosaurs and ultracornids. With the onset of the Ice Ages, the formosicorns proved to be better able to handle the cooler conditions than the their cousins. In a very short space of time, the family underwent another explosive diversification event producing a host of new Pleistocene forms including the armoured grazing catoblepines. While they lost ground to the saurolopes in their ancestral African homeland, the formosicorns wasted no time in becoming the dominant Eurasian ungulaped clade. The last glaciation period hit Europe's ornithischians hard, driving the last of the local ultracornids, saurolopes and cornucantines to extinction. The modern ungulaped assemblage largely repopulated Europe from other parts of Eurasia. Such immigrants include the tricorns and catoblepines (which extended their annual migrations to Southern Europe even during the glaciation, but didn't spend the winters there.) Since the climate has again started to get colder predicting a new cycle of glaciation, the hadrosaurs are no longer found north of the Baltic. 6000 year old bone findings however prove that catoblepines once roamed near the arctic circle. CORNUCANTINAE (Elumbes) Elumbe (Cornucantus belli) In Africa, with the afrohadrosaurid saurolopes now dominating most of the large herbivore guilds they are restricted to the giant elumbe, a few small ealids on the North coast and a some plesiomorphic old-endemic forest forms. The elumbe is a recent immigrant from Europe, the largest and last survivor of the cornucantidae, basal formosicorn behemoths (closely allied to the catoblepids) that flourished in Plio-Pleistocene western Eurasia, but succumbed to extinction in Europe during the last Ice Age. At up to 8.5 m in length and weighing in at a little under 7 tonnes, it is by far the most massive of the ungulapeds. Notable features of the elumbe include the loss of digit 5, the enormous "unicorn-horn" whose base is formed from the fusion of the frontals and posterior nasals, equal-sized pedal digits (the middle toe is enlarged in extant Eurasian formosicorns) with relatively small unguals and reduced squamosal horns. It feeds primarily on grasses but will also take some leaves and tubers. It also drinks a lot, staying close to reliable water sources. The elumbe is a solitary, territorial animal, coming together only to mate. The single calf is raised by the mother alone. They are nearsighted and bad-tempered, charging at anything that moves. It was an elumbe that was responsible for crippling the large male molok which was later killed by the thebirds - suffice to say that even had the molok not encountered the cityfinch colony, it would not have been making any more molokettes. CORONOLOPHINAE (Orths) Majestic Orth (Coronolophus rex) The coronolophids, or orths, were the first group of formosicorns the split off as the clade migrated into Europe. These creatures are relatively primative, with rather weak jaw muscles that restrict their diets to tender leaves and shoots. Despite their gastronomic limitations, orths are quite common in western-central Eurasia, with populations extending north to Fennoscandia and the British Isles. These herbivores are larger than most ealines (though not so large as the catoblepines) and are distinguished by their large, flattened central horn (morpholgically the same as the ealines' "unicorn horn") which is covered with skin, resemble the prehistoric hadrosaur Saurolophus to a certain extant. Most orths hibernate during the winter. The 8 m long majestic orth is a prime example of the typically European hadrosaurs, the orths. The males' large crest-like central horn is covered with skin which is brightly coloured during the mating season. Males are also larger and more robust than females. Orth males gather a harem of females which they guard from veldraks and other males. Regina's Orth (Coronolophus regina) The Regina's Orth is an 8 meter 3,000 kilo denizen of the abundant miombo and scrub woodlands stretching across much of India, Persia, Anatolia and southeastern Europe. They gather in herds of up to 200 individuals during the dry season as protection from the Ravannas among other predators. Females collect harems of two, occasionally three males once a year. These harems often are lifetime associates, though divorce isn’t uncommon. Brass Orth (Coronolophus orichalcum) The third species of the Coronolophus genus, this recently species of Orth can be found through out the Eurasia. As of now, not much is known seeing how this is the third and rarest of the genus Coronolophus. Dwarf Orth (Freticornis planalophus) The smallest species of Orth can be found in both of the British Isles, as of now not much is known as its behavior is known at the moment. In the Ireland population, adults enjoy a life free of predators while their offspring are more at risk. Especially from the predatory Avisaurs. The British population however, both hatchlings and adults, face predators in form of avisaurs and the subspecies of Forest Bruiser on the island. Phortorth (Photor sappimus) Almost as large as a majestic orth at 7.5 meters, but probably more closely related to the cuinocco, the photorth is is a beautiful and secretive denizen of the jungles of south and southeast Asia. For predators, the photorth is not an easy prey. Male photorths have three horns on their head, while female sport one large and sharp unicorn horn in the place of an orth's normal decretive crest. The males are aggressive during rut, but the females, with their sharp unicorn horns, are lethal. Cuinocco (Cervicerosaurs mirabilis) The cuinocco is the largest and most secretive of the formosicorns, dwells on the Scandinavian peninsula and the British Isles. Denizens of the deep forest, cuinoccos are only seen singly, or in mated pairs. Like many northern formosicorns, cuinoccos hibernate through the winter in caves or in riverside burrows dug with spade-like front hooves. These creatures may still be seen in winter, however, as they must rouse themselves, periodically, to forage for food. Dhar (Stephanolophus indicus) Another enigmatic species of Coronolophe is the Dhar (Stephanolophus indicus) ''which has been sighted roaming the vast plains of India and other similar areas, most notably Nepal. Since their are a recently discovered species, not much about their behavior is known at the moment. CATOBLEPINAE (Gonnucs and beluboses) The catoblepines are the largest Eurasian ungulapedes. Like their cousins, the ealines, they are primarily grazers which often gather in huge migratory herds. In contrast to the graceful running ealines, however, the catoblepines have become so massive that they cannot manage anything more strenuous than a brisk amble. The middle toe of catoblepines is not as enlarged as those of ealines with no significant reduction of the other toes. The unicorn horn is generally either a short spike or a flattened boss. The horn-base in catoblepines is formed by the fusion of both the frontals and the posteriormost nasal bones. Though their large size and horns already make them formidable adveseries, catoblepines also possess armour protection in the form of numerous small osteoderms. The first catoblepines seem to appear in Asia Minor during early Pliocene, and probably evolved from primitive ealines. Later they evolved into humongous sizes, taking over the niche of the eurolophine rhinolophs. Since the climate has again started to get colder predicting a new glaciation period, the hadrosaurs are no longer found north of the Baltic. 6000 year old bone findings however prove that catoblepines once roamed near the arctic circle. Gonnuc (''Bonnacon malleocranium) The Indian catoblepine, the gonnuc, hasn't grown nearly as big as its European relatives, because ceratopsians still dominate the large herbivore niches in Southern Asia. It lives in small, loose herds, where the dominance among males is determined by butting contests. As a result, the gonnuc's central horn has evolved into a large, flat boss. These 3,700 kilo herbivores roam the sub continent in herds of up to 500 hundred strong. Old post reproductive females are at the fore guard, protecting their mates and chicks from Ravannas and draks. The central horn has developed into a large flat boss that is used equally on intraspecifics and predators. Predatory deterrence is much more enthusiastic, with 40 km/h charges ensuring that all ravening predators get the quick chance to either retreat and think twice about attacking; or never retreat at all. Belubos (Catoblepas bucinator) The beluboses aren't as migratory as most of their close relatives, though they also roam around the grasslands of south and central Europe. They usually stay in areas of Central Eurasia through out their entire lives. The Belubose was the first publicized Catoblepine, though certainly not the first observed. This animal is extensively found throughout the subtropical and warm temperate valleys of the southern edge of the Great Eurasian Mountain Chain from Greece to China, with a population extending northwards around the Black and Caspian seas, and subfossil remains have been found well to the north, up to the Ural Mountains, as recently as 10,000 years ago. The Belubose has a highly disjunct range that is dependant on montane foothills and deep warm valleys. They have been sighted migrating across cold and often icy passes during summer, which possibly may explain why they have readily spread across the warmer regions north during the current interglacial. Belubose family structure mainly consists of an old dominant female, her daughters and their mates. These animals live between worlds. Dealing with hot steaming tropics and chill montane krummholtz every year in the search for food. The ability to cloaca brood protects the eggs and nascent young well. The adults themselves often weight in at over 2,000 to 3,800 kilos. Bruton (Catoblepas migratoris) Large herds of brutons roam across central and eastern Europe, spending the summers near the southern shores of the Baltic sea or the edge of the Russian taiga and returning south for the winter. The Bruton is the most wide ranging catoblepine. They can be found throughout the open grasslands of sub-Saharan Africa, through the Levant, east into the lowland Ghats of India, west into the plains of Central Europe. Brutons have the most extensive osteoderms of all the catoblepines, forming an almost ankylosaurine - or vanguardian - surface. They also are the largest of the formosicornines aside from the Elumbe. Mature females routinely reach 8 tons. Brutons are a force on the grasslands they roam. Huge herds up to a thousand strong can graze entire regions literally down to stubble. This action expands the grasslands greatly; most other megaherbivores prefer to clip up and suck down easily accessible vegetation, but the Brutons methodically strip the land of almost anything edible. The herds are known to chop away at whole stands of sapling trees just to fell them for their crowns. The impact on the local ecosystems is simply unimaginable in scale, if not concept on HE Yata (Anatobison anatobison) The Yata is currently the only North American ungulipede. A denizen of the open prairies, the Yata gathers in immense herds, ranging across continental America, from Canada to Mexico, with isolated populations in Alaska’s colder grasslands, the highland plains of the Rockies and Florida’s savannahs. The Yata seems to have taken the ecological niche previously held in America by torgs, which still thrive in South America, which may be evidence of direct outcompetition or maybe an opportunistic replacement after they went extinct, somewhere in the mid-Pleistocene. The massive Yata herds are often found in association with the humngo herds, following the giant neohadrosaurs to grass on the new buds left by the devastation of the giants. The Yata themselves are a transformative force, having a more selective grazing style than the vacuum cleaning of the hmungos, affecting thus the grass diversity in an area directly. In areas where hmungos are rarer, the myriads of other herbivores of the plains follow the Yata herds instead, and some species benefit from it’s less catholic diet, as it encourages certain species to grow over others. Ponik (Ponikosaurus potamicus) This species of ungulipede can be seen through out Europe, behaving just like a moose back on Home Earth. Just like of the moose this species has been known being of the few species of ungulipede to display semiaquatic behaviors; feeding on the vast abundant supply of aquatic plants that are present through out Europe's rivers and lakes. PENTACORNINAE (Pentacorns) These recently discovered group of ungulipedes have baffled our Spec researchers since they were discovered roaming Africa as of recent expeditions. While it appears that the vast majority of the Formosicornidae can be seen through out Eurasia and even North America in the case of the Yata, the Pentacorns as well as the previously mentioned Elumbe can be seen as the only species of formosicornidae that inhabit Africa. As of now, not much of the evolutionary history is known, it can be only hypothesized at the moment their ancestry can be traced back to the likes of Eopentacerolophus. Eopentacerolophus is an extinct genus that fits between ealines and catoblepids, however, recent studies show that these species have been placed into their own family. These large grazers lived in Asia Minor where it evolved, and southern Europe from late Miocene to Middle Pliocene. Its appearance coincides with the beginning of the rhinolophosaurs' decline. Eopentacerolophus primigenitus, the earliest known Eopentacerolophus species, was not much larger than modern ealines, but the heavily built Eopentacerolophus ingens was nearly twice the size of a yale. The vast majority of Eopentacerolophus species disappears soon after the extinction of Rhinolophosaurus imperator, apparently replaced by its progeny: the larger and more robust Catoblepas and its close relatives. However, a few species have a stronghold in Africa Fossil evidence for a new species Eopentacerolophus progenitor was unearthed. Pentacorn (Pentacerolophus magnus) Also known as the Congo Pentacorn, this species of Pentacorn is more widespread than the larger and rarer Imperial Pentacorn. Traveling in large family herds across grassland and rainforest, they rely on safety in numbers to protect themselves from the moloks and other potential hunters. Male pentacorns have larger crests than the females, as in the case for the vast majority of all ungulipedes. Imperial Pentacorn (Pentacerolophus anax) The larger of the two species of Pentacorn,the Imperial Pentacorn usually leads a solitary life and while not growing up to the likes of some of the larger ungulipedes like the Bristlehorn and the Hornmeister, it will still use its larger size to scare off smaller predators. When confronted by larger predator like a molok, it will use its powerful tail or use its kick the defend its self from its potential predator, however, the success rate is very low. Unlike the vast majority of ungulapeds in the world of Spec, this species is one of the few species of ungulaped that will mate for life. Due to their massive size, their diets consist of mostly leaves from the low hanging branches, but it will eat low growing plants. EALINAE (Yales and Kirins) Often referred to as tricorns, ealines are the most widespread and speciose ornithopods in Eurasia (about 50 species). They are distinctive in possessing an enlarged middle toe on the pes with a reduction of the other two toes, a long unicorn-horn whose base is restricted to the frontals. Most are grazers that live in pairs or small to moderate sized herds. Unlike the polygamous catoblepines, most ealide species form stable pair or trio bonds. Not surprisingly, the tricorns exhibit conspicuous external sexual dimorphism. The Eurasian yales are quite similiar to their distant cousins, the african saurolopes. These lightweight hadrosaurs are fast gallopers, which live in herds that follow the migratory brutons. Yale (Eale recticornis) The Eurasian yales are quite similiar to their distant cousins, the african saurolopes. These lightweight hadrosaurs are fast gallopers, which live in herds that follow the migratory brutons. There are also several yale species living in the middle east and India. Malta Yale (Ealoides malta) The malta yale is a diminutive dwarf that shares an ancestry with the mainland yale. The malta yale is quite small, less than 18 kilos for full growth males. They have fairly short stoat limbs well sited clambering up rocky faces, where they might meet a spelk. Reproduction tends to quite long. The life long male/female pair generally breeds once every two years. There are few threats aside from avisaurs and careless sauropods. Kirin (Kirin chilin) Kirins are the yales of eastern Asia. These antelope-like ealinids live in herds of about 10-30 individuals and ruled by an old male. The long, straight central horn of the kirin is a formidable weapon, but mostly used only for intimidation between males or against predators. Only kirin males have a long, forward-pointing horn. The female's horn is shorter and points straight up from the skull. The horn structure is remarkably similar to giant African elumbe, though it seems to be mere convergence. A few species of Krin are known to exist through out the warmer parts of Asia, where they are accompanied by a new species of neohadrosaur and the last lambeosaur on the islands of Japan. Ki-lin (Kirin rex) Ealines are much younger residents of Japan than the Baku, arriving in Japan during the Pleistocene. Although more species did exist, the ravages of the Ice Ages wiped out all but two species, Ki-lin (Kirin rex) and the Qilin (Kirin opibus). The more cold-tolerant of the two, the Ki-lin ranges from southern Hokkaido to central Honshu, where it interlaps with the larger Qilin. They seem to live in small family herds of up to five members. Qilin (Kirin opibus) The larger of the two Japanese species of Kirin, the Qilin can be found in the heavily forested areas of Japan. As of now, not much is documented about its behavior. Minus a few behaviors such as these small ungulipedes are more solitary compared to their mainland cousins, except during the mating season. Another interesting behavior it displays is its defense mechanisms from it predatory Oni. It will either headbutt the small bruiser with horn or it will deliver a nasty kick or tail swipe that will leave the small carnivore battered or injured. A side from that, this creature doesn't seem to be as hostile towards other creatures. In fact most of the time, it is a docile herbivore, only turning belligerant when threatened. This creature ranges south from central Honshu to the southern tip of Kyushu. Category:Spec Dinosauria Category:Alternate timelines Category:Alternate History Animals Category:Alternative evolution Category:Hadrosaurs Category:Europe Category:Africa Category:Asia Category:South Asia Category:North America Category:Japan Category:Herbivores Category:Dinosaurs